Information Week are reporting that the new energy-efficient, Intel-powered, Windows 8-based tablets have been delayed into 2013. PC makers are reportedly have issues building drivers for Intel's dual-core Clover Trail Atom Z2760 processor.

The new Clover Trail-based processor is set to enter the tablet battlefield against the iPad and high-end Android tablets, where it will compete on both performance and battery life. The delays are pushing multiple companies' tablets back, such as Dell's Latitude 10, HP's Envy x2, ASUS' VivoTab Smart and Lenovo's ThinkPad Tablet 2.

The only Atom Z2760-based tablets hitting the market at the moment is Samsung's ATIV Smart PC and Acer's Iconia W510. Cindy Shaw, from research firm DISCERN, have said that this could really hurt PC makers, especially those in enterprise sales, where she continues:

HP and Dell are conceding they've given up on the consumer, so missing the holiday season is not that big of a deal. They're not missing that magical time of the year,"� the analysts said. "But the longer it takes for businesses to get their hands on evaluation units, the longer it's going to take to translate into enterprise sales.